Apparatus for processing tanned hides

ABSTRACT

A machine for wringing tanned hides of the kind including a spreading device and a wringing device, has the spreading device situated near the feed-in end of the machine and the wringing device situated near the delivery end of the machine. A hidefeeding device is provided which, in operation, is moved towards the wringing device to feed a hide into the wringing device, and when the hide is held by the wringing device is moved back again ready to receive a subsequent hide, the feeding device, the spreading device and wringing device being arranged to cooperate together in such a way that an entire hide is wrung in one pass through the machine.

ilite 1 States atent Richter et a1.

[54] APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING TANNED HHDES Gerhard Richter; NorbertSchmid, both of 84 Regensbury, Regensburg 13, Germany Dec. 19, 1969Inventors:

Filed:

Appl. No.:

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data US. Cl ..69/41, 69/42, 68/22 Int.Cl. ..Cl4b 1/08 Field of Search ..69/41, 42, 43; 271/29, 54

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 619,614 2/1899 Ouirin..69/41 2,330,271 9/1943 Cutler ..69/43 Feb. 8, 197 2 FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 718,679 1 1/1954 Great Britain ..69/43 908,440 10/1962Great Britain 936,250 9/1963 Great Britain 575,775 4/1924 France PrimaryExaminer-Alfred R. Guest Attorneywalter Spruegel [57] ABSTRACT 7 hide,the feeding device, the spreading device and wringing device beingarranged to cooperate together in such a way that an entire hide iswrung in one pass through the machine.

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED FEB em: 3,640,105

' SHEET 2 UF 3 PATENTED FEB 8 m2 3.640.105

sum 3 OF 3 APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING TANNED HIDES The invention relatesto machines for wringing tanned hides, particularly cattle hides, themachine including a spreading device followed by a wringing device, thespreading device ensuring that the naturally present folds in the tannedhides are flattened out.

In the operation of known wringing machines equipped with a spreadingdevice, the hide is first of all partly inserted into the wringingmachine by the operator so that a little more than half of the hide isin the machine. The hide is inserted into the machine in such a way thatthe half of the hide which is to be wrung is positioned behind a rubberroll which cooperates with wringing rolls, as seen by the operator. Themachine conveys the hide between the rubber wringing roll and rolls, thehide being delivered by the wringing rolls back to the operator. Onreceiving the hide from the machine the operator has to introduce itagain into the machine the other way around so that the machine canrepeat the process on the other half of the hide. The hide musttherefore be introduced into the machine twice, only half of the hidebeing processed in one pass through the machine. This involves repeatedopening and closing of the machine. The operation is thereforenecessarily performed in two steps, this being a time-consuming methodwhich limits the output of the machine.

The object of the present invention is to increase the output ofwringing machines for hides by arranging the machine so that it operatescontinuously, each hide being processed in a single pass through themachine, without any necessity to turn the hide around and introduce ita second time into the machine. Thus operation of the machine is greatlysimplified.

To this end, according to this invention, in a machine for wringingtanned hides including a spreading device and a wringing device, thespreading device is situated near the feedin end of the machine, thewringing device is situated nearer the delivery end of the machine, anda movable hide feeding device is provided which, in operationautomatically feeds the hides into the machine, the machine beingconstructed in such a way that an entire hide is dried in one pass andconveyed through the machine.

The processing of the hides therefore proceeds continuously and themachine operates at a correspondingly high rate of output.

Preferably the feeding device includes a feed table, on which the hideis spread out ready to be fed into the machine and which is movablerelative to the spreading device and the wringing device, the tablebeing preferably pivoted in such a way that it can be swung downwardsafter the hide has been gripped by the wringing device during thefeeding process. When the machine is open, that is to say when thespreading device and the wringing device are both open, the feed tablefeeds the hide into the machine by introducing it far enough so thatwhen the wringing device is closed it grips the leading edge of thehide, whereupon the table is retracted and swung downwards, leaving thehide freely hanging from the spreading device. The spreading device isthen closed and the hide is conveyed through the machine either by thewringing device itself or by a separate conveying device. When the feedtable is swung downwards the hide slides off, remaining hanging from thespreading device, leaving the feed table clear and retracted, ready toreceive the next hide.

As an alternative, to suit certain operating conditions, a feedingdevice of the kind described below may be provided for feeding thespread out hides into the wringing machine.

The feeding device may for example take the form of a gripper devicewhich, when the spreading device is open, grips the hide fed in by thefeed table, pulling it into the machine before the spreading devicecloses, and feeds the hide to the wringing device. The gripper devicemay include a gripper arm having a gripper on its end, for example inthe form of a mouth capable of closing, which grips the leading edge ofthe hide and pulls the hide into the machine. As soon as the machine hasclosed on the hide the mouth of the gripping device opens, releasing theleading edge of the hide, whereupon the gripper arm is retracted, eitherupwards or to one side, the gripping device returning to its position ofrest.

The gripper device may cooperate with a prepress roller in front of thewringing rolls. The prepress roller itself then cooperates with acounter roller. Before the gripper arm advances outwards from theinterior of the machine towards the feed table, the prepress rolleropens, that is to say lifts away from its counter roller. Subsequentlywhen the gripper arm has retracted and introduced the hide into themachine, the prepress roller advances towards its counter roller,gripping the hide and assisting in conveying the hide through themachine. The counter roller is preferably an idler roller of thewringing device around which a lower wringer felt belt moves.

Beyond the wringing device there may be a conveyor belt or otherconveying device which conveys the hide further through the machine anddelivers it out of the machine. This conveyor can, if desired, deliverthe hide from the machine in forward direction, in which case the upperrun of the conveyor belt is approximately at the level of the lowerwringer felt belt. Alternatively, if desired, the delivery conveyor candeliver the hide in rearward direction, that is to say towards theinfeed end of the machine. In that case the conveyor belt is situatedunder the lowest part of the wringing device and receives the wrung hideby gravity from the wringer felt belt situated above it and delivers thehide towards the feed-in end of the machine.

The spreading device, which is preferably in the form of a conventionalspreading roll, cooperates with a rubber roll situated at the feed-inend of the machine. Before feeding the hide into the machine thespreading roll is lifted away from the rubber roll, the hide is then fedinto the machine whereupon the spreading roll is lowered onto the rubberroll. Both the lifting and the lowering of the spreading roll areeffected automatically, the spreading roll lifting as soon as thetrailing edge of the hide has left the stretching roll, so that themachine is ready to receive the next hide.

The felt belts used for wringing the hides are preferably hydraulicallytensioned to ensure effective operation of the wringing device. Thetensioning can be controlled pneumatically, hydraulically, optically ormechanically by a control device which also controls the position of thefelt belt sideways so that it always runs straight and true. This isnecessary to prevent the felt belt from escaping sideways when wringinghides of varying thicknesses and widths.

Some examples of machines in accordance with the invention areillustrated diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of one example of the machine, the machine beingopen and having a spreading roll in a lifted position;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but with a hide fed into the machine;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but with the machine closed;

FIG. 4 shows a machine generally similar to that of FIG. 3 but with aconveyor belt delivering a wrung hide toward the feed-in end of themachine;

FIG. 5 is a side view of a second example with a feed gripper device,the machine being in an open position; and,

FIG. 6 shows the machine of FIG. 5 in the closed position.

All the examples include a feed table I which is mounted to travelforwards and backwards. The table 1 has a horizontal feed plate 2 to therear end of which a feed trough 3 is attached for receiving a hide 5. Afeed roller 4 feeds the hide out of the trough 3. The feed roller 4 hasa drive and a brake. The feed plate 2 is hinged at 2' so that it can betilted downwards, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 3. The downwardhinging tilting of the feed plate is effected automatically.

When the machine is fully open (FIG. 1) a movable spreading roll 7 islifted away from a rubber roll 6. The spreading roll 7 is drivenbackwards, that is to say its lower surface moves rearwards and it isadjustable in height for changing the gap between the spreading roll 7and the rubber roll 6. When the machine is in the closed position (FIG.3) the spreading roll 7 thrusts against the rubber roll 6. Downstream ofthe spreading roll 7 there are wringing devices 8. 9 which consist ofpressure rolls 10, Ill felt belts 12, I3 and idler rollers 14, 15. Therolls I and II are driven in opposite directions so that the felt beltsconvey the hide forwardly through the machine. The lower felt belt 13cooperates with a conveyor belt 16 (FIG. 3) which delivers the wrunghide out of the machine. For delivering the hide in the forwarddirection the upper part of the conveyor belt 16 moves in forwarddirection. When it is desired to deliver the dried hides in rearwarddirection, towards the feedin end of the machine recourse is had to aconveyor 16' (FIG. 4).

FIGS. 1 to 4 show tensioning devices l7, 19 connected to the idlerrollers I4, for adjusting the tension ofthe felt belts 12, 13. It isimportant to ensure that the felt belts are at the proper tension, notonly to obtain efficient conveying of the hide but also to ensure thatthe hides are wrung satisfactorily. Control devices 18, are providedwhich sense sideways deviations of the felt belts, returning them totheir correct positions. These control devices can be for examplemechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic or optical sensors which detectsideways deviations of the felt belts and send out signals to controldevices which correct the deviations.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show another exemplary machine equipped with an auxiliarygripper device consisting of a gripper arm 23, an attachment link 24 anda mouth pivoted to the gripping end of the gripper arm 23. The gripperarm 23 cooperates with a prepress roller 26. If desired, instead of asingle gripper arm there can be several working in parallel, arrangedside by side across the machine. As soon as they have pulled the hideinto the machine the gripper arms 23 are retracted, or lifted out of theway. When a hide is going to be fed into the machine the gripper armsare, by appropriate motion of the attachment link 24 from the positionin FIG. 6 to that in FIG. 5, advanced through the gap between theprepress roller 26 and the pressure roller 15', and through the gapbetween the spreading roll 7 and the rubber roll 6, rearwardly as far asthe leading edge of the hide spread upon the feed table 1. The mouth 25on the end of the gripper arm 23 is then closed on the leading edge ofthe hide, pulling the hide forwardly until its leading edge is justforward of the prepress roller 26, whereupon the prepress roller 26 isthrust against the pressure roller 15'. The gripper arm 23 is thenretracted out of the way by motion of the attachment link 24 from theposition in FIG. 5 into that in FIG. 6. In this process, as soon as thegripper mouth 25 of the gripper arm 23 has seized the hide 5 and begunpulling it into the machine the feed plate 2 swings downwards on itspivot and the feed table 1 travels backwards to its starting position.

The drawings show the machines at several stages during operation.

In FIG. 1 the machine is open and a hide 5 is resting flat on the feedtable I. This is at the beginning of the working operation of themachine.

In FIG. 2 the feed table 1 has been advanced sufficiently close to thelower pressure roll 11 of the wringing device that the depending leadinghide end on the feed table 2 did come in contact with roll Ill and wasfrictionally dragged thereby into flat disposition on top of this roll,as shown, whereupon the upper roll I0 was immediately closed on thelower roll and the belts 12, I3 begin to convey the hide through themachine. Thus, in FIG. 2, the leading edge of the hide has just enteredbetween the pressure rolls 10, 11, and the latter have closed to gripthe hide, the spreading roll 7 being still in its raised position, andthe feed table 1 being shown slightly retracted from its advancedposition.

In FIG. 3 the feed table 2 has been swung downwards and the feed tablehas retracted. The spreading roll 7 has immediately on retraction of thefeed table, come down to thrust towards the rubber roll 6 to grip andspread the oncoming remainder of the hide and the hide is being conveyedthrough the machine. The leading edge of the hide hasjust reached theconveyor 16.

FIG. 4 shows the parts of the machine in positions corresponding tothose of FIG. 3, except that the wrung hide will be discharged onto aconveyor 16' for its conveyance toward the infeed end of the machine.

In FIG. 5 the leading hide 5 has passed the prepress roller 26, and theprepress roller 26 and the spreading roller 7 have been moved to theirlifted positions. The gripper arm 23 has been advanced through the gapsunder the prepress roller 26 and the spreading roll 7, and its mouth hasjust gripped the leading edge of the next hide 5.

In FIG. 6 the first hide has almost left the pressure rolls 10, 11, thesecond hide, having already been advanced under the spreading roll 7 andthe prepress roller 26, advances towards the pressure rolls I0, 11. Thegripper arm 23 has been retracted upwards out of the way.

What is claimed is:

1. In a hide-wringing machine having an outlet end, the combination ofdriven upper and lower wringer rolls near said outlet end, of which saidupper roll is movable to and from said lower roll to close and open saidrolls, and said closed rolls being in wringing engagement with a hidetherebetween and feeding the latter rearwardly toward said outlet end;upper and lower hide spreading members ahead of said wringer rolls, withsaid members being separable from and closable on each other andoperating to spread a hide therebetween when closed; and a feed tablehaving a leading edge and being adapted to support a hide with an endthereof hanging from said leading table edge, with said table beingmovable into a retract position ahead of said spreading members, andinto an advance position in which the same extends between saidseparated spreading members and a hanging hide end on said leading tableedge is in dragging engagement with said lower wringer roll and therebybrought between said rolls when open, so that on closure of said rollsthe latter assume the feed of the hide.

2. The combination in a hide-wringing machine as in claim 1, in whichsaid feed table has a flat top with said leading edge, and a troughbehind said top to receive the remainder of a hide supported on saidtop.

3. The combination in a hide wringing machine as in claim 1, in whichsaid table is hingedly mounted for pivotal movement into a substantiallyhorizontal upward disposition in which to support a hide and bring itinto dragging engagement with said lower roll, and into a downwarddisposition for slideoff of a hide part thereon into hung dispositionfrom said lower spreading member.

4. The combination in a hide wringing machine as in claim I, in whichsaid members are rotary upper and lower spreader rolls of which saidlower spreader roll is below the top level of said lower wringer roll,and said upper spreader roll being movable to and from said lowerspreader roll into closure with the latter and into a separated positionabove the top level of said lower wringer roll, with one of saidspreader rolls being driven.

5. The combination in a hide wringing machine as in claim 4, in whichsaid feed table is hingedly mounted for pivotal movement into asubstantially horizontal upward disposition in which to support a hideand bring it into dragging engagement with said lower wringer roll, andinto a downward disposition for slide-off of a hide part thereon intohung disposition from said lower spreader roll.

6. The combination in a hide-wringing machine as in claim 5, in whichsaid feed table has a flat top with said leading edge, and a troughbehind said top to receive the remainder of a hide supported on saidtop, with said top being hingedly mounted on said trough for pivotalmovement of said top into said upward and downward dispositions.

7. The combination in a hide wringing machine as in claim 1, whichfurther provides upper and lower belts and upper and lower pulleyscloser to said outlet end than said wringer rolls, with said upper andlower belts passing over said upper wringer roll and upper pulley andover said lower wringer roll and lower pulley, so that in said advanceposition of said feed table a hanging hide end on said leading tableedge is in dragging engagement with the belt on said lower wringer roll.

1. In a hide-wringing machine having an outlet end, the combination ofdriven upper and lower wringer rolls near said outlet end, of which saidupper roll is movable to and from said lower roll to close and open saidrolls, and said closed rolls being in wringing engagement with a hidetherebetween and feeding the latter rearwardly toward said outlet end;upper and lower hide spreading members ahead of said wringer rolls, withsaid members being separable from and closable on each other andoperating to spread a hide therebetween when closed; and a feed tablehaving a leading edge and being adapted to support a hide with an endthereof hanging from said leading table edge, with said table beingmovable into a retract position ahead of said spreading members, andinto an advance position in which the same extends between saidseparated spreading members and a hanging hide end on said leading tableedge is in dragging engagement with said lower wringer roll and therebybrought between said rolls when open, so that on closure of said rollsthe latter assume the feed of the hide.
 2. The combination in ahide-wringing machine as in claim 1, in which said feed table has a Flattop with said leading edge, and a trough behind said top to receive theremainder of a hide supported on said top.
 3. The combination in a hidewringing machine as in claim 1, in which said table is hingedly mountedfor pivotal movement into a substantially horizontal upward dispositionin which to support a hide and bring it into dragging engagement withsaid lower roll, and into a downward disposition for slide-off of a hidepart thereon into hung disposition from said lower spreading member. 4.The combination in a hide wringing machine as in claim 1, in which saidmembers are rotary upper and lower spreader rolls of which said lowerspreader roll is below the top level of said lower wringer roll, andsaid upper spreader roll being movable to and from said lower spreaderroll into closure with the latter and into a separated position abovethe top level of said lower wringer roll, with one of said spreaderrolls being driven.
 5. The combination in a hide wringing machine as inclaim 4, in which said feed table is hingedly mounted for pivotalmovement into a substantially horizontal upward disposition in which tosupport a hide and bring it into dragging engagement with said lowerwringer roll, and into a downward disposition for slide-off of a hidepart thereon into hung disposition from said lower spreader roll.
 6. Thecombination in a hide-wringing machine as in claim 5, in which said feedtable has a flat top with said leading edge, and a trough behind saidtop to receive the remainder of a hide supported on said top, with saidtop being hingedly mounted on said trough for pivotal movement of saidtop into said upward and downward dispositions.
 7. The combination in ahide wringing machine as in claim 1, which further provides upper andlower belts and upper and lower pulleys closer to said outlet end thansaid wringer rolls, with said upper and lower belts passing over saidupper wringer roll and upper pulley and over said lower wringer roll andlower pulley, so that in said advance position of said feed table ahanging hide end on said leading table edge is in dragging engagementwith the belt on said lower wringer roll.